Approximately 100 protesters gathered near the Vanderbilt University campus in Nashville on Saturday to protest Israel’s response to the recent barrage of Hamas rocket attacks. Hamas allies have launched 1,300 rocket attacks so far this year, and Israel has recently responded by precision targeting rocket launch sites and ammunition storage facilities, in addition to Hamas political infrastructure. Israel’s attempt to diminish terrorist capabilities has been done with precautions to minimize loss of innocent life. In fact, Israel continues to transport food for Gaza residents across the border even throughout the present conflict. Yet, as I interviewed many of those at the protest, the open hostility to Israel’s existence as a Jewish state and refusal to condemn Hamas was stunning.

One protester claimed ALL of Israel is on occupied land, including Tel Aviv, Jaffa, and Haifa. According to him, “Every square foot of Palestine is owned by the Palestinians. The Israelites have no reason to stay there, ever.” He went on to stay, “Your citizens are not supposed to be there. This land is not yours! Move off! Move back to Europe where you came from.” Another sign he held proclaimed “the imposter Jews should go back to Asia.”

A lady claimed the Israeli response to the Hamas rocket attacks is “almost the same” as the Holocaust which claimed the lives of over 6 million people. Several young children apparently with her gathered around a sign claiming that Israel’s military actions – a defense of herself against Gaza terrorists- is tantamount to another “holocaust.”

Another lady at the protest claimed that the Hamas rocket attacks are “not even that scary” and that “Israel is the great aggressor.” She also inaccurately declared that “no one has been allowed in or out [of Gaza] since 2007” and bizarrely claimed that Hamas has only fired “a couple of rockets back” at Israel. Furthermore, she stated Israel’s response in Gaza is “ethnic cleansing and genocide.”